With an announced attendance of 38,161 at Friday’s exhibition game between the Nats and Yankees, it almost had the feel of a regular season matchup. Washington fans were able to see their team in person for the first time this year and the excitement was clear. Before the game Comcast SportsNet caught up with Nats fans as they walked through the turnstiles to find out what they hope and expect from this season.

While we're on the topic of fan excitement, I'm looking forward to the Nats announcing their season ticket base after today's deadline. Since they were still hawking the special deals on MASN this week, I guess they haven't yet hit that 20,000 magic number. Just a two days left folks. Getcher tickets now!

Section222, I would be surprised if they are at 20,000 STHs now however if the team starts off hot where there is a scarcity of tickets then you will see more ticket brokers and corporate clients to jump on STHs. That's generally how it works.My sister-in-laws company just bought 2 Diamond seats but there wasn't much available in good seats so I have to think the lower bowl is mostly sold out except the outfield and probably most of the mezzanine level is probably sold out and the homeplate view upper level are probably all gone.

NatsLady said… Speaking of finances, here is a scary thought.Nick Cafardo ‏@nickcafardo 32mThe going rate for an elite pitcher is inching toward $ 1 million per start March 30, 2013 1:34 PM Certainly pushing $800,000 a start. Would be scary to think any pitcher will reach $33,000,000 per year but certainly that could happen one day.I would say Strasburg knows his pay-day is coming very soon. Verlander is a SFX client and I have to think Boras will unfortunately want to 1 up everyone and Strasburg's his guy. Not looking forward to those negotiations but my hope is Bryce and Stras are Nats for life.

NatsJack, I don't disagree with Crasnick and only hope that Morse and ALR both have monster years and as Nats fans we have no regrets as I was for keeping Morse at 1st and taking the comp pick for LaRoche. The simple answer still is Morse is a FA as of right now at the end of the season and the Nats got AJ Cole back.

Ghost, so you think that after not getting to 20K with the full court press to get new STHs with 2 for 1 deals and 2012 prices, etc., all of a sudden a bunch of people are going to want STs after the season starts? Maybe the brokers will buy some, but that's not going to get them to 20K.Also, if all those areas you say are probably sold out really are, then they'd be way over 20K. I just went online and you can get two tickets in Section 131, Row S, right behind 1st base for Wednesday's game vs. the Marlins. You can also get two sets in the Diamond Club, Section 125, Row J. So no, the lower bowl isn't nearly full.

Absolutely right on the key thing is Morse's free agency . That's why the pure comparison with he does this year and what Span does is meaningless in assessing whether Rizzo did the right thing. We have Span for the next four years and would lose Morse after this year. Big difference. Span has to be like Nyjer and AJ Cole has to vanish without a trace for this to have been a bad deal.

"Also, if all those areas you say are probably sold out really are, then they'd be way over 20K. I just went online and you can get two tickets in Section 131, Row S, right behind 1st base for Wednesday's game vs. the Marlins. You can also get two sets in the Diamond Club, Section 125, Row J. So no, the lower bowl isn't nearly full."I believe Ghost was talking about season tickets. Those seats may not be sold for Wednesday's Value Game against the Marlins, but if they've been sold for any other games this season that would make them unavailable for purchase in a season ticket plan, wouldn't it?

Rich, agreed. I don't think the Diamond Club is totally full yet but mostly full and there are Section 131 seats that were available in partial plans.That first rainy game where almost nobody shows up will tell us what the base is and I'm thinking 18,500 to 19,000, but for the good games they should hit numbers in the 30Ks which should spur on more STH sales.

Rich P, you're probably not reading this thread anymore, but that's exactly my point. If you can still buy pairs of good seats in the lower bowl to a game it means those seats haven't yet been sold as season tickets. And Ghost, I just don't think the Diamond Club is even "mostly full" if you can get a pair of 10th row seats to that game in a section (125) that has 21 rows. But I agree that a rainy night in April will be a good time to get a sense of what the base is. Although, with all their baloney of having a 20,000 limit, the Lerners should just tell us where the STH sales are and save themselves from the embarrassment of that rainy night. I'll bet they are at 17K or less. Otherwise, we would have heard a lot of "we're close to reaching the 20K limit, so you better act now" kind of stuff. And it's hard to believe a hot start will spur a lot more STH sales. Anyone who hasn't just arrived in DC from Mars knows this is going to be a good year.